[ChiefsFanatic]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

Von dominated from day one. On the first snap of his career he forced a fumble that we recovered. Von is once in a decade type of player, there are multiple Justin Houston's available every year in the draft.

You and I have a different definition of once in a decade. Here are, roughly, the 6th best performing linebackers from the 2011 draft. Kerrigan was listed as a DE during the draft, but plays linebacker.

The stats I am using are GAMES - SACKS PER GAME - COMBINED TACKLES PER GAME - FORCED FUMBLES - FUMBLE RECOVERIES - INTERCEPTIONS - PASSES DEFENDED - POINTS SCORED. Each player is ranked in each category 1-6 with 1 being the best and 6 being the worst. The lowest point total being the best and the highest point total being the worst.


In my opinion, this group of stats better represents the players overall impact much better than the SACK stat alone. I compiled these stats with no clue as to what the outcome would reveal. That is to say that I did not cherry pick stats to benefit Houston, or to handicap Miller.


I also added the round drafted and the overall player taken, but did not score these (obviously)

Because of Chiefsplanet's lack of ability to save stats like this in a table, I tried to attached the excel sheet as well, but even though it met the criteria, I could not attach it. If, for some crazy reason anyone would like to view it, I would be happy to email it.


1st RD #2 overall - MILLER - 31 games played - .97 sacks per game - 4.25 tackles per game - 8 forced fumbles - 0 fumble recoveries - 1 interception - 6 passes defended - 6 points scored Von Miller ESPN Stats


3rd RD #70 overall - HOUSTON - 35 games played - .66 sacks per game - 3.97 tackles per game - 3 forced fumbles - 3 fumble recoveries - 1 interception - 13 passes defended - 2 points scored Justin Houston ESPN Stats


1st RD #7 overall - SMITH - 34 games played - 1.09 sacks per game - 3.38 tackles per game - 5 forced fumbles - 1 fumble recoveries - 1 interception - 5 passes defended - 2 points scored Aldon Smith ESPN Stats


1st RD #16 overall - KERRIGAN - 34 games played - .56 sacks per game - 3.82 tackles per game - 7 forced fumbles - 1 fumble recoveries - 2 interceptions - 12 passes defended - 6 points scored Ryan Kerrigan ESPN Stats


3rd RD #84 overall - FOSTER - 34 games played - .18 sacks per game - 6.00 tackles per game - 2 forced fumbles - 2 fumble recoveries - 3 interceptions - 5 passes defended - 6 points scored Mason Foster ESPN Stats


2nd RD #39 overall - AYERS - 34 games played - .24 sacks per game - 5.38 tackles per game - 2 forced fumbles - 1 fumble recoveries - 1 interception - 10 passes defended - 0 points scored Akeem Ayers ESPN Stats


The overall ranking based on scoring 1-6 in each of these categories:


Justin Houston - 21 pts - Most passes defended and most fumbles recovered.

Ryan Kerrigan - 21 pts - Second most forced fumbles and second most passes defended

Mason Foster - 23 pts - Most tackles per game and most interceptions

Von Miller - 26 pts - Most forced fumbles and second most sacks per game

Aldon Smith - 27 pts - Most sacks per game

Akeem Ayers - 29 pts - Second most tackles per game and third most passes defended

Smith and Miller have the 1st and 2nd most sackes per game, but lesser known players Foster and Ayers have the 1st and 2nd most tackles per game.

Most people like the SACK stat, as do I, but tackles are important too. And for linebackers, passes defended is also an important stat. Obviously the SACK stat is the most ballyhooed and gets players the big money, but linebackers need to be well rounded.

So, while Miller get lots of sacks, Houston has many more passes defended, and while Miller creates a lot of fumbles, Houston has recovered more fumbles. In the future Miller may separate from these other players and prove to be special, but right now, compared to these other players, there is NO PROOF that he is a "once in a decade type player."

And here is two more factors to add into this equation: Miller was the overall #2 player taken, and Houston was the 70th player taken; And Houston will be playing in the first 6 games this year, and Miller will be watching.

So, given all the info I have compiled, plus draft position and availability, I would say that we are getting more value for Houston than Denver is getting for Miller.

And yes, I was really bored.



P.S. Just for fun I tried to compare Derrick Thomas and Lawrence Taylor, but I cannot find complete statistics for each player. In Taylor's first year in the league, 1981, sacks were not an official stat. He is, however, widely credited with 9.5 that year.

So, based on the first 3 full years of their career, LT had 26 sacks for an average of .63 per game. DT had 43.5 sacks for an average of .93 per game. If Miller and Houston keep their averages now, assuming they play in all games they are eligible for (counting regular season only) Miller will have 39.5 sacks in his first three years, and Houston will have 31.5 over his first three years. I would stipulate that I believe Houston will have more than 31.5 career sacks by the end of this season because his sack per game percentage has taken a sharp increase over the last three games.

Ok, I will stop now. My OCD kicked in, and I could not stop.